The six games that will move if Hammers march on in Europe

West Ham United get their season underway with a Europa League qualifying match in Slovenia on Thursday night, we look at future ramifications.

The UEFA Europa League trophy

The Hammers will make the trip to Slovenia for the first leg of their all-important Europa League third round qualifier against NK Domzale tonight after the tie was switched from East London to give the Olympic Stadium time to be finished.

On the pitch West Ham will need to be better prepared than they were at the same stage of the competition last year when they were sent crashing out by Romanian minnows FC Astra.

West Ham's Manuel Lanzini with Dimitri Payet

Hammers must make do without star trio

And they will have to do it without their best players from last season as Aaron Cresswell and Manuel Lanzini are both out through injury while and star man Dimitri Payet is on extended holiday after he helped France to the final of Euro 2016.

West Ham have always said they will use the competition to blood a crop of exciting youngsters.

But co-owner David Gold and boss Slaven Bilic have also insisted they will be taking the competition seriously and want to try and go all the way.

To do that they will need to beat Domzale over two legs, then emerge victorious from a two-legged play-off game to make the Europa League proper.

The long road to Europa League glory begins

Europa League fixture changes explained

Should Bilic's side made the group stages they will play the other three teams they are drawn with home and away over six matches.

And that will have a knock-on effect on the club's Premier League fixtures, the ramifications of which will see three home games at the new 60,000 seater Olympic Stadium moved as well as three away games.